Family Life
by LindaLeeB
Summary: Join the McGarrett-Williams family a few months after Jesse's adoption. Steve has just received a notice that he's being reactivated in the Navy.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

_**After almost 9 months of writer's block, I finally have an idea I can work with. I've missed writing. I'm scheduled to retire in September and hope to get back in the habit again.**_

Family Life, Chapter 1

Fall, 2021

Steve and Danny settled into a comfortable routine with Jack and Jesse. They all missed Grace who was studying in London for her sophomore year. With 5-0 a team of eight now, the senior members of the task force spent a lot less time in the hospital emergency room. Steve was still more reckless than Danny liked, but he was the model of procedural propriety compared to the daredevil super-SEAL of their first year together.

The boys were in third grade now, and Steve and Danny were dismayed to discover the boys were assigned to different teachers. The principal and counselor explained that it was the school policy to keep siblings out of the same classes whenever possible. Their own family counselor recommended that Jack and Jesse be kept together. Jesse had made a remarkable recovery from the trauma of his former family life, but the boys were accustomed to watching each other's back. Fortunately, Steve and Danny prevailed; the boys were together again.

The family spent Labor Day weekend at the cabin. The boys spent the days fishing, swimming, and playing SEAL Team 8 (in honor of their age). Although Charlie, Andy, and Kekoa were frequent visitors, it was just the McGarrett-Williams family for this weekend. Steve and Danny had a firm policy that they wouldn't worry about work at the cabin, but they couldn't shake a bad feeling about Steve's assignment for the coming week.

Just before they took off Friday to pick the boys up from school and leave town, Steve received a letter by special messenger: Steve was ordered to report to the base on Tuesday. The governor confirmed the assignment. Steve's commission was temporarily being re-activated; he was in the Navy again.

Danny sputtered when he read the letter and ranted for almost 20 minutes before Steve could calm him down. "I don't understand how you can sit there so calmly. You've been out of the Navy since before Jack was born. You're still in pretty good shape for a forty-something year old, but you're hardly in SEAL condition. I hear how your knees pop when you get up in the morning."

"Danny, there's nothing in this letter about a SEAL mission. I'm supposed to report in my summer khakis, not camo. I don't know what is going on, but I suspect the Navy either wants to ensure 5-0's cooperation on a joint operation or maybe the Navy needs to activate my secret clearance again. I'll know soon enough, so until then let's just enjoy the weekend with the boys."

After the boys went to bed Saturday night, the men retired to their private bathroom. The Jacuzzi tub was an extravagance for basically a weekend retreat, but it was worth the money at times like this. Danny leaned back and settled against Steve's chest. Steve's strong arms were wrapped around him and Steve was nuzzling his neck.

"You know babe, I wish we could freeze time and stay here. No one is shooting at us, and the boys have such a great time here."

"Admit it Danno, you have a great time too. We all do. It's like being at summer camp without the counselors and bullies."

"When did you ever have a problem with bullies? You were the high school quarterback!"

"I was also a science nerd. I didn't get taller and fill out until my last year on the island. Then Dad shipped Mary and me to the mainland and I was the new kid on the block. It didn't get better until I went to the academy."

"I guess I have a hard time thinking of you like that. You still have the death glare after all these years. Even Jack and Jesse know to quiet down and get to sleep when you go in with that look on your face."

"Don't knock it Danno. The boys are asleep, aren't they? You and I are naked in the tub together."

"Yeah, and I can't reach any of your good parts like this." Danny scooted toward the other end of the tub so he could turn to face Steve before sliding closer to his target.

"But I was having such a good time Danno."

"Don't whine! You know I hate it when you whine." Danny silenced Steve with a kiss. Actually it was a series of kisses. First Danny rubbed his lips against Steve's lips and then nibbled on his lower lip before touching tongues. His arms and legs were wrapped around Steve, a position he couldn't hold for long before his bad knee protested.

Fortunately, Steve was well aware that Danny couldn't hold the position for long, but he was reluctant to break the hold. He could sense the desperation in Danny's kisses and guessed that his recall was the reason. When he knew that Danny's knee must be burning, he took control and broke the kiss.

"Let's get out of here. We have a big bed in the next room waiting for us." Steve deftly stood and pulled Danny up. They dried each other before moving to the bedroom. After over 10 years together, this part of their relationship was still going strong. As Steve had so succinctly put it only weeks before their first ceremony, "I'm a guy, after all. We need sex or we die."

The need was strong tonight with both men, but Steve wanted to slow down. "Danny, I'm not going anywhere. We've got all night."

Danny laughed. "When did you get to be such an optimist? It's been a while since we were able to go all night, but I get the message. I'm so used to sleeping with you every night. I'm a little freaked that you might not come home Tuesday night. The SEAL mission you went on that first year was so hard for Grace and me. We were so afraid that you wouldn't come home to us."

"Hey, I told you that I'd be back. But I have to admit that I worried what kind of trouble you and the team might get into without me there."

"Steve, I'm wounded. You always start the trouble. I know what you mean. Just like Jack and Jesse, we're used to being back-up for each other. Now you've distracted me long enough." This time when Danny kissed Steve, it was with great deliberation and restrained passion. Steve was on his back so Danny could control their lovemaking tonight.

Danny wanted to touch Steve everywhere. He drew his fingers down the side of Steve's face and followed with his lips and his tongue. Then he gave serious attention to the underside of Steve's jaw where he could feel Steve's pulse beating a steady rhythm. Danny slipped lower still to Steve's chest. Steve's nipples were already hard before Danny put his mouth on them.

Steve was letting Danny have his way but he that didn't stop him from touching Danny wherever he could reach. At the moment, his fingers were in Danny's hair, gently massaging his scalp the way he knew Danny liked. Then he moved to Danny's shoulders. He found a lot of tension there, so he spent a few minutes working out the knots.

Soon both men were moaning with pleasure. Danny's mouth was on one of Steve's very favorite places and his hands were kneading Steve's ass. Steve was frustrated that he couldn't return the favor but he could be patient. It was a long weekend so there was always tomorrow. For now, Steve needed more.

Fortunately, Danny knew his husband well and was willing and able to give Steve what he wanted. When he was satisfied that Steve was ready for him, he thrust into Steve and held his position. It always felt like coming home to Danny when he made love with Steve.

The rest of the weekend passed too quickly for Steve and Danny. There was the usual flurry of activity after a trip to the cabin. Dirty clothes and linens were sorted in the laundry room. Jack and Jesse were in their bathroom getting their showers and brushing their teeth. Danny was stowing the perishables in the fridge while Steve packed school lunches for their sons. Both boys insisted that school food was gross.

"So do you have your uniform all ready for tomorrow morning? It must take an hour to pin all those medals on."

"Fortunately I only have to wear my khaki's, but it will take me a while. I'm out of practice. I'm just relieved that I didn't dispose of my uniforms when I left the Navy."

"Did you think this would happen? Is that why you didn't get rid of them?"

"Yes and no. I was warned it could happen, although the odds were low because of my work with 5-0. We're considered an essential part of protecting the islands. And I was superstitious about getting rid of my uniform, sort of like you know you're going to need something if you throw it away."

"You really have no idea was this is all about?"

"No Danny, I don't. Which fruit do you think the boys will like better, the plums or grapes?"

"Grapes, they're neater to eat and no seeds or pits."

After the boys were tucked in, Steve and Danny retired to their room so spend some quality time together. Neither men were entirely sure that Steve would be home the next evening, and both wanted a good memory to carry them through the week.

_Earlier that evening_

She parked her car down the street at the supermarket and walked to her destination. Even though she had traded her 'Vette in for something less flashy, she knew that a strange car parked for too long on the side of the street would attract attention.

Catherine Rollins was a woman on a mission. The last seven years had been a mixed bag for her. Professionally, she was doing quite well. After her last encounter with Steve and baby Jack, Catherine transferred to the D.C. area. She alternated between the Pentagon and Langley with high profile assignments that earned her a promotion to Lt. Commander and more recently to Commander. Just weeks ago she was transferred back to Pearl Harbor. Catherine considered it serendipitous that her current investigation required special expertise that only Steve McGarrett could provide. At least, that was how she sold it to her boss.

Personally, Catherine's life was a lot of nothing special. She had friendly acquaintances but no close friends. Men still hit on her at bars, but one-night stands held no appeal. In fact, no man had appealed to her since Steve. After a particularly disastrous date last month, Catherine decided that it was time to mount a campaign to win Steve back. She was surprised when she realized that Steve and Danny had been together for almost 10 years. Surely Steve would be tired of Danny by now. Catherine and Steve always enjoyed a lot of hot sex, and maybe he was ready to switch teams again.

So that is how Catherine came to be hiding in the yard next to the McGarrett-Williams home when Steve and his family arrived home from their weekend at their cabin. The house had been vacant since spring when the family moved back to the mainland due to a job transfer.

It was almost 4 p.m. when the dark blue SUV pulled into the driveway, signaling the return of Steve and the family. Two young boys and a dog spilled out of the vehicle almost before Steve could turn the engine off. Danny was out next. "Okay boys, come back and get your stuff while I open the door and turn off the alarm. And Jesse, don't roll your eyes at me. You know the drill."

Catherine sucked in her breath. She knew that Steve and Danny had adopted another boy, but it was easy to see which boy was Jack. Before their breakup, Catherine and Steve spent one rainy afternoon looking at old photos. From what she could recall, Jack looked just like Steve did at that age. He was tall and lanky; his dark hair was cut short, and he was very tanned.

Then Catherine got her first glimpse of Steve McGarrett in more than 7 years. The years had indeed been very kind to him. His hair was almost salt-and-pepper now, but the infamous McGarrett physique was alive and well. The sight of him still made her wet.

Catherine watched as Danny walked back to the SUV to help Steve unload. The boys had carried their smaller bags into the house, leaving their dads to carry in the heavy items. Steve hip-bumped Danny as he pulled out a cooler. Danny retaliated with an elbow to the ribs. Steve escalated the action by pulling Danny close for a scorching kiss. Then he whispered something dirty into Danny's ear judging from the quick grin on Danny's face.

Catherine realized that she had to rework her plan. Steve and Danny were obviously still going strong. That was okay; she wasn't afraid to work hard to get something she really wanted. And Catherine really wanted Steve McGarrett.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life, Chapter 2

Fall, 2021

_Catherine watched as Danny walked back to the SUV to help Steve unload. The boys had carried their smaller bags into the house, leaving their dads to carry in the heavy items. Steve hip-bumped Danny as he pulled out a cooler. Danny retaliated with an elbow to the ribs. Steve escalated the action by pulling Danny close for a scorching kiss. Then he whispered something dirty into Danny's ear judging from the quick grin on Danny's face. _

_Catherine realized that she had to rework her plan. Steve and Danny were obviously still going strong. That was okay; she wasn't afraid to work hard to get something she really wanted. And Catherine really wanted Steve McGarrett._

It's said that for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. It may not always be true, but with the case of Catherine Rollins' scheming, it was. As the professional lives of Steve McGarrett and Catherine Rollins intersected, so did the lives of other colleagues.

Admiral David Thomas Halloran was doing a stint as instructor at the Naval Academy when Steve McGarrett was only a cadet. He was also assigned to Coronado a few years later when Steve did his BUDS training. He was often on the periphery when Steve (and Catherine) worked in Naval Intelligence, so he had some background on both naval officers professionally and personally.

So he wasn't all that surprised when Commander Rollins came to him a couple of weeks ago with a request to reactive Steve's commission and have him assigned to her task force. The admiral was a big fan of Steve McGarrett, not only because of his impeccable service to the Navy but also because of his outstanding performance as the head of 5-0.

Admiral Halloran was disappointed when Steve left the Navy, but he was also pleased that the closed-off man he knew from his earlier days had grown to be a man secure enough to pursue a relationship with his 5-0 partner. Halloran occasionally saw Steve and Danny out with their sons and was gratified to see a happy family. He also knew that Catherine and Steve had a thing going for several years before Steve and Danny became a couple.

As much as Halloran liked McGarrett, he was not so sure about Commander Rollins. Her performance on the job was notable, but Catherine had developed personal issues since Steve left the Navy. At first, those issues hadn't affected her job performance. In the last year, the admiral noticed cracks in Rollins' professional behavior.

At first, it was just little things that were hard to quantify concerning her behavior with male colleagues. She was not very helpful when they requested her assistance, especially if the man was attractive. Then her behavior bordered on passive-aggressive to the men. Her previous C.O. thought the sun rose and set in Catherine Rollins, but Dave Halloran had his own opinion.

Halloran strongly suspected that Commander Rollins was up to no good when her reactivation request came across his desk. Once McGarrett was reactivated, he would be at Rollins' beck and call since he would be reporting to her. Rollins' had cashed in a lot of favors to get Steve back in the Navy, so Halloran decided that he would even the odds.

His first move was to get McGarrett promoted to full commander. Then McGarrett would be Rollins' equal in rank. The admiral also arranged to have McGarrett report directly to him instead of Rollins. He fully expected Rollins had ulterior motives and he intended to discover what they were.

So on Tuesday morning, Lt. Commander waited to see Admiral Halloran. It had been a hectic morning so far. Steve and Danny decided not to tell the boys that Steve was back in the Navy again until the last minute. Jack tended to worry about changes to his routine, and his anxiety caused his ADHD to act up.

Danny was just setting four steaming bowls of oatmeal on the table when Steve came down in his khakis. Jack and Jesse were discussing a science project they had due at the end of the week when Steve strolled into the kitchen and poured coffee for Danny and himself. Although Steve left the Navy before Jack was born, Jack and Jesse were both quite aware that the sailors they saw on the island were routinely deployed overseas. Neither were pleased to Steve see in uniform.

"Dad, what's up? Why are you wearing a uniform? You're not going away, are you?" Jack's voice grew more high-pitched with every question.

Steve took a sip of his coffee and waited for Danny to join them at the table. He took Danny's hand and offered a silent prayer that he would find the right words to put the boys at ease without giving any false hope.

"Boys, I received orders late Friday to report to the base at Pearl Harbor today for a special assignment. I don't know the details of my assignment, but the fact that I'm wearing my khaki uniform instead of camos makes me think that the Navy wants to pick my brain about something, not get me shot at. I wasn't told to bring my gear, so I should make it home tonight. Until then, it's business as usual for us. You boys will go to school and Danno and I will go to work, just not at the same place."

It took Steve and Danny most of breakfast to calm the boys down. Then Steve dropped the boys at school while Danny headed to the Palace. Just as Danny pulled into the parking lot at the Palace, Danny's cell phone went off. One glance told Danny that it was the governor calling. "Well, that just makes the day perfect!" Danny muttered to himself.

"Detective Williams, this is Governor Caldwell. I know that you're one man down with the Commander back on duty. I just received a call from the base at Pearl Harbor. Admiral Halloran has requested your presence at his office. You are to report to the main gate and you'll receive instructions there."

Now Danny was alarmed. It wasn't the first time that 5-0 visited one of the naval bases, but usually Steve took point on those meetings. "Sir, do you have any idea what this is all about? First Steve gets last-minute orders. Now they want me to report also?"

"Danny, I'm as much in the dark as you are. I've been assured that your business there will not take long. Please report back to me when you return to HQ. I'd like to at least pretend that I know what is happening on my island."

"Yes sir. I'll get back to you as soon I know what is going on." Danny ended the call and ran his fingers through his hair. It was going to be a very long day.

So you can imagine Steve's surprise when Danny was ushered into the same waiting room where he sat waiting to see the Admiral. "Danno, what are you doing here? Did you miss me already? You know you can't just drop in on me when I'm working on the base, right?"

Danny didn't know whether to be more worried or relieved to see Steve so soon. He sat next to his husband and held his head in his hands. "I have no idea why I'm here. I get a call from the governor telling me that Admiral Halloran requested my presence."

Before Steve could ask any more questions, the door to the Admiral's office opened and an aide motioned for the men to enter.

Steve stood at attention in front of the Admiral's desk and saluted. "Lt. Commander Steven McGarrett reporting for duty, sir."

Danny wasn't sure of the protocol but he didn't want to embarrass Steve. He stood at what passed for attention. "Detective Daniel Williams, 5-0, reporting as requested."

Admiral Halloran returned Steve's salute and shook hands with Danny. "Steve, it's great to see you again. Detective Williams, thank you for coming. I know you both are wondering what this is all about. I'll brief you on your assignment here in a bit, Steve. For now, I have some good news. Steve, you were a Lt. Commander when you left the Navy. You were due for a promotion then. Now that you're back on active duty, I want you to have your promotion. Detective Williams, I thought that you might want to pin the Commander's new insignias on his uniform."

A staff photographer slipped into the office as the admiral opened a box to display the insignias for commander. Danny's hands shook as he pried each insignia from the box, removed the lieutenant commander insignias from Steve's collar, and poked the new insignias through the remaining holes. He watched as Steve recited the oath of office with a lump in his throat. One part of him was so proud of his husband; the other part was sick at the thought of Steve back in the Navy and possibly deployed to some hellhole overseas.

The admiral shook hands with Steve in congratulations as the photographer snapped several shots to commemorate the event. Then the three men stood together for a posed shot. Then the admiral excused himself and took the photographer with him to give Steve and Danny a moment of privacy.

Danny took the opportunity to congratulate Steve with a sweet kiss and a hug. "Wow, this is most certainly not what I expected. I'm proud of you babe!"

"Thanks Danno, it's not what I expected either. It means a lot that you're here. It's the first time that I had family present for a promotion. I just wish I knew why I'm here, but I don't have such a bad feeling about it anymore. I've know Admiral Halloran since my time at the Academy."

Before Steve could say more, the Admiral came back into the office carrying a folder. "Danny, it was a pleasure to meet you. I've known Steve for more years than I like to think about. If you'll step back to the waiting area, someone will bring you prints of the photos. I'm sure you'll want to share them with your sons."

"Thank you Admiral. Can I wait until Steve comes home tonight to show them to Jack and Jesse?"

Before Steve could tell Danny it wasn't protocol to pump a C.O. for information, the Admiral laughed and said, "That's a splendid idea. Our newest commander should be home in time for dinner."

Steve was still puzzled by the whole turn of events, but he was pleased to hear that he would be going home today. At the admiral's command, he sat and waited to hear his fate.

"Steve, our intelligence group here has run into a terrorist cell that's remarkably like the one run by the Hesse brothers. You were key to both operations that took down Anton and Hesse. The head of our intel group has requested your reactivation to assist in the current investigation. While you're here, I would also like your evaluation of the personnel you'll be working with. Your 5-0 team is first rate, and we need the same kind of people working on our side. You're reporting to me while you're here; I want to make that point clear."

Before Steve could respond, there was a knock at the door. When the admiral barked "Enter", Steve was stunned to see Catherine Rollins walk into the room. His first thought was that she looked good. Her figure was still slender and her hair was neatly pinned back. Then he could see the lines around her eyes and mouth and worry lines in her forehead. He also saw that she had been promoted twice since their last meeting and was now a commander. He instinctively knew that somehow her new rank was related to his sudden promotion.

Catherine was surprised to see Steve too, although she knew he would be reporting to base this morning. She knew that he was still achingly handsome from her stalking over the weekend. She was shocked and not happy at all to see Commander's insignias on his collar.

Catherine stood at attention and saluted. "Commander Rollins reporting, sir." At the admiral's direction, she took a seat. This was not going the way she planned. Steve's promotion meant they were on equal footing in terms of rank. It would also make it tricky to have him under her command. She was trying to decide how this would impact her plan when the admiral dropped another bombshell.

"Commander Rollins, Commander McGarrett has been reactivated per your request. He's assigned to my staff and I expect regular reports from him on your status. Since we've yanked him from civilian life so abruptly, I expect that he will keep regular office hours unless an emergency arises. I realize that despite the circumstances, Commander McGarrett will also want to touch base with his 5-0 team although we all know how competently Detective Williams will lead the team in his absence. Do you have any questions?"

Admiral Halloran didn't get to be an admiral by being anyone's fool. He watched various emotions wash over Rollins' face: shock, dismay, and lastly anger. Catherine thought she had carefully her feelings hidden, but the mask had slipped enough to give her away.

Catherine realized that the admiral and Steve were waiting for her to say something. "Uh, no sir. I understand. Is there anything else I need to know?" Like when did Steve become a commander? Like how she was going to make any progress with Steve if he got to go home to his family every night? Like how was she going to face Steve every morning knowing he shared a bed with Danny every night?

"No, you're dismissed. The commander will join your team shortly."

Steve maintained a professional demeanor even though his first inclination was to ask the admiral "What the fuck?" Instead, he waited until he heard the door close before asking "Admiral, am I here because Commander Rollins requested the change in my status?"

Admiral Halloran's respect for Steve went up another notch. "Yes, you are. Sit back Steve and I'll tell you a story."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life, Chapter 3

Fall, 2021

"_Admiral, am I here because Commander Rollins requested the change in my status?"_

_Admiral Halloran's respect for Steve went up another notch. "Yes, you are. Sit back Steve and I'll tell you a story."_

Steve sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. He was appalled to learn that he would be working with Catherine after all these years and even more so to learn that she had engineered his reactivation into the Navy. He only hoped the Admiral knew what he was doing.

"Commander was stationed in the D.C. area until a few weeks ago. She reported to Admiral McKuen while she was there. He was very fond of Commander Rollins and gave her glowing performance evaluations. For the first few years, she warranted her reviews. Then about three years ago, I started hearing complaints from some of her male coworkers. Before I go on, may I ask how Commander Rollins reacted when you told her you were in a relationship with Detective Williams."

"Well, Danny and I were together for several weeks before we went public. One of my team had been suspended and we didn't want to risk losing anyone else on the team until we could get Kono cleared and back on the team. Once that happened, I told Governor Denning about Danny and me. He agreed to let us stay partners. At the time, Catherine was stationed overseas. I didn't want her to hear the news from someone else, so I told her over the phone. I hated doing it that way, but the alternative was flying there to tell her in person. I didn't want to do that either."

"How did that go?"

Steve closed his eyes for a moment and thought back to the awkward conversation.

_Ten Years Earlier_

"_Steve, I got your text asking me to call you when it was convenient. Is this a good time for you? Catherine spent the last few hours wondering what was so important to warrant a special phone call. She usually only heard from Steve when he wanted a favor, but then he would call her no matter what the time. For years, Catherine hoped that Steve would want her for more than just the occasional hookup. Maybe Steve finally realized that he needed more than that from her. She crossed her fingers and hoped for the best._

_Steve knew that this would be a difficult phone call and was relieved to have Danny by his side. "Thanks for calling me back so promptly. How's the assignment going?" Now that he had Catherine on the phone, he wasn't sure how to proceed. Danny was fixing a late breakfast for them but stopped his preparations to sit by Steve and lend his support._

"_You know how it is. It's going okay. I miss being on the island. I hope you're calling to tell me you're coming my way. I could take some leave and meet you somewhere. It seems we never have enough time together."_

"_Well, that's not why I'm calling. Catherine, you and I have known each other for a long time. We were friends before it became something more, but we never pretended it was going anywhere more than that. I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else. I'm with someone now and we're going to make it permanent on New Year's Day when civil unions are legal in Hawaii."_

_Catherine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Steve was breaking up with her. She always meant it to be something more. And what did he say about a civil union? He was with another man! It had to be that loudmouthed detective from the mainland. She knew that there was something special between Steve and Danny, but she was sure that Steve couldn't be gay._

"_Catherine, are you still there?" _

"_Yes, I'm here. Steve, I don't understand. It's Danny, isn't it? You're with your partner, aren't you?"_

"_Yes, Danny and I are together. He moved in last summer when he needed a place to stay with his daughter Grace. I love them both so much. Grace calls me Step-Steve and she's so smart."_

_Catherine had heard enough. "Steve, I don't understand. We were always great in bed, and everywhere else too. How can you be with him? You're not gay. I'd know if you were."_

"_Cath, I don't know how to explain it. I've never been attracted to men, but I love Danny and he loves me. I'm sorry to tell you this way, but I wanted you to hear it from me." Steve knew this was going to be hard, but it was worse than he thought. _

"_Then I guess there's nothing more to say. Best of luck to you and Danny. You're going to need it." Catherine ended the call before she broke down with Steve on the other end. She refused to let him know how much it hurt. She doubted they would last more than a few months. Steve and Danny argued about everything. Catherine tried not to think about the makeup sex. She decided that she would be there when it fell apart._

_Steve put the phone down and leaned into Danny. "That didn't go as well as I had hoped."_

"_What did you expect from her babe? You are an amazing man even if you are a Neanderthal with limited social skills. I love your ass, and the sex is off the charts. Didn't you ever get a sense that maybe Catherine wanted more with you?"_

"_To tell you the truth, no I didn't. We both had our Navy careers that usually kept us in different parts of the world. Besides, my memories of family life were pretty warped. I intended the dysfunction to end with me. I could never imagine myself with someone much less with a child. You and Grace are the gift that I never knew I wanted."_

**Back in the Present**

"Admiral, it was a very difficult conversation. She was stationed overseas when Danny and I came out to the governor and mostly everyone else. Catherine was surprised that I was with Danny. She wished us luck but not in a way that made me think she was sincere. Then a few weeks after our civil union ceremony, she showed up in my office. She said that she just needed to see for herself that I was happy."

"Was that the last time that you saw her?"

"No sir, I saw her a few months after Jack was born. I was sitting in the park playing with Jack when she walked up. She just happened to see us there and came over. I think that was really hard for her."

"Yes, I can imagine that it would be difficult. I'm not sure if something else happened over the last few years or if she just grew bitter as time passed. There have been complaints about a hostile work environment from some of the men who report to her. Her C.O. back in D.C. wouldn't even listen to them. We lost some good men as a result. I suspect she will try to interfere with your marriage. If that doesn't work, she will move to make your life miserable or even discredit your career."

"Admiral, I find it hard to believe that the woman I knew would stoop to such behavior. If what you suspect is true, it will cost her the career she's worked so hard to build."

"Steve, it would be better to have her out of the Navy rather than lose other personnel. I've had an office assigned to you. Commander Rollins has an office; the rest of the team is assigned to an adjacent conference room. You're officially assigned to the team in an advisory capacity. If she gives an order that is suspect, contact me immediately. Here's my cell phone number if you need to reach me after hours. I regret that it was necessary to drag you away from civilian life, but you'll be helping us out. At minimum, you'll help the Navy take care of a personnel problem. I also suspect that you will help us deal with the latest terrorist cell."

Steve knew when he was being dismissed. He accepted the information from the admiral and went in search of his office. A tech aide was waiting for him with a laptop and his login information. He had a fresh cup of coffee to take to his first official meeting with Catherine; he wished he could spike it with some of the good brandy Danny bought him for his last birthday.

Steve took a deep breath and knocked on Catherine's door. "Commander Rollins, is this a good time to brief me on my assignment?"

Catherine knew the exact moment Steve entered the area and heard him moving around in his office. Her original plan was to be overly pleasant to Steve and hopefully win him over that way. She couldn't think of a better plan, so she went with it for now.

"Steve, I think we can dispense with the formalities. We've been friends too long to stand on ceremony. Have a seat and I'll tell you what we know so far. It's been what, ten years since we've talked? How's the family? I hear you have another son."

"Danny and the boys are great. It's so much more that I ever thought I could have. Danny and I adopted Jesse last spring. He is Jack's best friend and came to live with us when his parents died. Grace is in college and studying in London this year. How have you been?" Steve knew a little about playing nice after all the years with Danny. He decided to go along with whatever game Catherine was playing.

"I've been great. I loved my time in D.C., although I missed island life. I'm sorry we had to interrupt your routine but you were always the best at tracking the bad guys. From what I've read about your 5-0 team, nothing has changed."

"I've got a great team. Danny, Chin, and Kono are the best. Chin and Kono are married. Chin and Malia have a son a little younger than Jack and Jesse. Kono and Finn have a son and daughter. We've doubled the size of the team so there are eight of us now. It keeps us from working so much overtime, and we actually get weekends off now."

"Wow, that's different. I remember all the times I came to visit on leave and you would get a phone call from the governor. We had some really good times." Catherine didn't like anything she was hearing from Steve. It seemed that everyone was married and had a family except her.

"To tell you the truth, that seems like another lifetime ago. I never knew what to do with my time off then. I had my job and not much else. Now Danny and I are so busy with the boys that I can't imagine life without them. Now what can you tell me about the bad guys." Steve very determinedly steered the conversation back to work.

Catherine took over an hour to brief Steve with their progress in finding the terrorists suspected of hiding in Hawaii. It should have taken half that time but Catherine kept interrupting her narrative with flirty comments. She moved from behind the desk to sit on the front of the desk with her legs crossed. Catherine made sure that she showed a lot of skin.

Steve didn't mind the early pleasantries, but the way Catherine flaunted her body just inches away from him made him uncomfortable and embarrassed for her. Finally he stopped her. "Catherine, I think that I have the gist of it. Let me read the progress reports and see if anything pops."

As Steve prepared to leave, Catherine made a weak attempt for more time. "That sounds like a plan. We could meet for lunch and I can pick your brain for any ideas."

"Sorry Catherine, I'm meeting the team for lunch. I'm trying to keep an eye on what's going on at the Palace, and it's possible that I might have some questions related to our case that they might have some ideas on. I'll be careful to share any sensitive information." Steve went back to his office and closed the door behind him for more privacy. I pushed #1 on his speed dial to call Danny.

"Hey babe, do you miss me already?" Danny was surprised to hear from Steve so soon. He was showing the rest of the team pictures of the newly promoted Commander McGarrett.

"You know it Danno. Can we meet somewhere close to the base for lunch? I can give you and the rest of the team a clearer picture of what is going on here."

"That works for me. I'll bring along whoever doesn't already have lunch plans. Do you want to meet at the noodle house?"

"That sounds great. You know, I was in the Navy a long time before we met. But I feel so out of place in my uniform now. I miss my badge and my gun. And I miss watching your back."

"Wow, I never expected to hear you say that. At least you know that Catherine is watching your back while you're there."

"No Danny, she's watching my ass. There's a difference!"

"Yeah, just like there's a difference between a brown-noser and an ass-kisser."

"What's that?

"Depth perception, Steven."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life, Chapter 4

Fall, 2021

While Steve enjoyed lunch with his team, Catherine was seething in her office. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Catherine had envisioned an intimate little lunch in her office while they reminisced about their past. She would escalate the memories over a late dinner. Instead, Steve was eating lunch with Danny and the rest of the team while she sat alone.

Meanwhile, Steve was enjoying bowl of noodles with his husband and the available members of 5-0. The latest members of the team never saw Steve in his uniform and were properly impressed with his new commander's bars. Steve had made a few notes before he left the office so that he was ready to hand out assignments. He gave the team whatever information that wasn't classified and pointed them in a couple of directions that might prove helpful.

Danny was the last to leave the restaurant. He wanted to know more about the assignment. "So, how did it go with Catherine after I left?"

Steve sat back in his chair and gave the question some serious thought. "Well, the briefing in her office bordered on sexual harassment. She did ask about you and the boys. She knew we had Jesse. She attempted a trip down memory lane, but I was able to cut it short. I had to turn down a lunch invitation because we were meeting here. I guess I could have invited her, but that would have been too awkward for me. You know how I am with mammal-to-mammal interactions."

Danny bumped Steve with his shoulder. "Hey, you've come a long way since we pulled our guns at our first meeting. You don't even scare the little kids in elevators anymore."

"Maybe so, but this is a strain. I've been undercover, but I've never had to basically spy on someone whom I once considered a good friend. I hate that I'm in this position. I don't understand why Catherine is doing this after all these years. I thought that she had moved on."

"Me too, but I guess that I get it. There was a time after Rachel divorced me and brought Grace here that I thought I would never have any happiness or joy except for the snatches of time I got with Grace. I swore I would never get that deeply involved again. I never expected more children. I certainly never thought I would have a husband. I get that she's still hot for you. I am all the time, and we have sex on a regular basis."

Steve wore a goofy grin. "I'm still hot for you Danno. But I need to get back. Call me if something noteworthy comes up. I'll see you at home at the regular time. Don't start supper if you get there first. I think that my promotion deserves an evening at Crystal's. I think I might finally be able to beat you at Skee-ball."

"It will never happen. You can get all the promotions you want but I'll always be better at Skee-ball." Danny walked Steve to his car and hugged him briefly before heading to his car. He spent the afternoon with the team researching information for Steve.

Steve's afternoon was almost as interesting as the morning. His first move was to the conference room to meet the rest of Catherine's team. They were Lt. Frank Higgins, Lt. Jake Sheedy, Lt. Commander Mike Thompson, and Yeoman Leslie Moore. Steve had been the topic of their conversion for the last few days. It was very unusual for someone to be reactivated after so many years, and the scuttlebutt was that their commander was an old 'friend' of their latest member.

They were surprised when Steve approached them after lunch. He introduced himself and told them what he could about his background. They reciprocated and weren't very surprised to find they had mutual acquaintances from various locations. Steve then asked them what avenues they were exploring so that they didn't overlap investigations.

They were in the middle of a brainstorming session when Catherine interrupted them. "Commander McGarrett, what's going on here?"

"Commander Rollins, I'm trying to get caught up with your team and we were exchanging ideas. I'm the new guy here, and I still trying to determine where we are in the process."

"I'm in charge here. I'll tell you what you need to know."

Now Steve was a little pissed off. "And I'm here in a consulting role reporting to Admiral Halloran. I'm working with you and your team, not for you. You brought me in because I was highly successful while working with my SEAL team and intelligence and also because the 5-0 team has been so successful. I have my methods that work for me. If you want to micro-manage me, you could have brought in anyone. Now I would like to proceed unless there is something new you didn't cover this morning."

Catherine's face was bright red. She was equal parts furious and embarrassed. "No, you may proceed. I will join you, if you don't object."

"I have no objections." Steve resisted the urge to smirk and turned back to the team. The yeoman was the team admin assistant; she took notes which were displayed on the screen at the end of the conference room. The session lasted most of the afternoon. Steve spent the remainder of his work day writing a brief status report to the admiral.

Danny beat Steve home by half an hour. Jack and Jesse were met him at the door with a flurry of questions.

"Did you talk to Daddy today?"

"Is Daddy coming home tonight?"

"What's for supper?"

"Yes, yes, and it's a surprise." Danny pulled the boys close for a hug. "Daddy had lunch with me and the team. He should be home soon. Have you guys finished your homework?"

"Yes Danno", the boys answered in unison.

"Then why don't you get a quick shower before Daddy gets home. You look like you have half of the island on you." Danny appreciated that being a kid was dirty work but Jack and Jesse raised it to a new level. It was even worse if Steve joined in the fun.

The boys took longer than Steve's 3-minute Navy shower to scrub the grime off but they managed to be downstairs when Steve pulled in the driveway. They ran outside to meet him before he could turn the engine off.

"Daddy, Danno said we're having a surprise for supper. Did you bring something home? We're hungry." Jack was always hungry after playing outside. Jesse wasn't far behind him.

Steve grabbed his hat and stood at attention. "Commander Steven J. McGarrett reporting for daddy duty."

The boys stopped short of the SUV and mimicked Steve's salute. "Yeoman McGarrett-Williams reporting for kid duty." The boys had worked out their greeting that afternoon before Danny came home. They were equally anxious about their daddy's return to duty and proud to see him in uniform. They were proud of both of their daddy's. Then Jack noticed something different in Steve's uniform.

"Daddy, the things in your collar are different. Did you lose one and have to get a new set?"

Steve had his goofy grin on his face. "Well Danno, should we give them the news?"

Danny frowned and shook his head. "I don't know Steve. Maybe we should wait until after pizza."

The boys tackled Danny, laughing as he went down on the living room floor. "Tell us Danno. We don't want to wait."

Danny tickled the boys and pinned them to the floor. "That was a pretty smooth move. I guess we can tell you now. Your dad was promoted to full Commander this morning. The admiral's office called me in and I got to pin his new insignias on him."

Steve found the pictures from the promotion ceremony and showed the boys. Then he explained the terms of his temporary assignment. They were excited about Steve's promotion and relieved to hear that their daddy would make it home in the evening.

Crystal's was a family favorite so their supper was a happy celebration. They had enough leftovers for another night, and the boys beat Steve at Skee-ball. The family made it home early enough to have story time. The boys alternated choosing the book, and periodically the reading material was simple enough for the boys to take turns reading to their dads.

Later when evening chores were complete (lunches packed and homework checked), Steve and Danny had took their beers and sat down by the beach. They were content to sit and watch the waves lap the shore until the sun set.

Finally Danny broke the silence. "So are you exhausted from fending off Catherine's advances?"

Steve considered the question. "Actually, she was more antagonistic than anything else this afternoon. I spent some time picking the brains of the rest of the team and she was upset that I didn't consult her first. The others are pretty sharp and I think that we should be able to find the threat to the island. It might take longer than I would like. But to get back to your question, I'm not that tired. What do you have in mind?"

Danny took Steve's hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back of Steve's hand. He thought not for the first time how beautiful Steve's hands are. In fact there wasn't any part of Steve's body he didn't love. "I was thinking about getting my shower. Want to join me?"

Steve stood and pulled Danny into a hug. "Have I told you today how much I love how your brain works?"

Danny leaned into Steve, relishing the feel of Steve's arms around him. "You love my mouth too."

"Yeah, I love that smart mouth of yours. You keep me on my toes, but I can be myself around you. I noticed that the first day. It was a strain today trying not to be…me, I guess. I'm older and more senior than the rest of the team, excepting Catherine of course. It was so tempting to tell them to call me Steve. It's okay for the 5-0 team but not exactly regulation in the Navy. And I really missed you today Danny. Can we postpone the shower for a bit? I have a more pressing need."

Danny could feel the need; it was pressing against his hip. Danny was aroused too and more than amenable to helping Steve out. "I guess that could be arranged. It's my turn to be on top."

"I'll toss you for it."

Danny's reply was lost as he made a break for the back door. He knew Steve would beat him easily, but this way he got to ogle Steve's ass.

Steve was already naked and pulling down the comforter by the time that Danny locked the door, activated the alarm, and climbed the stairs. Danny unbuttoned his shirt enough to pull it over his head. His trousers and boxers came next. He threw his clothes in the hamper and joined Steve on the bed.

From the house next door, Catherine watched as the tears spilled down her cheek. She had arrived while the family was a dinner. It killed her to see the happy family spill out of the SUV and go into the house. It was even worse when Steve and Danny sat on the beach. She wished she could eavesdrop on their conversation; she had no way of knowing that for the most part there was nothing said.

When the men hugged and ran for the door, Catherine knew that sex was on their agenda. She could see into their bedroom from her vantage point. She could only guess that the men didn't close the blinds because the house was purportedly vacant. Now that the men were on the bed, she only caught glimpses of random body parts. It was enough for tonight. Catherine quietly slipped out of the house.

The day had been a train wreck for her. First Steve was promoted. Then the admiral made it clear that Steve would not report to her. Then Catherine got a first row seat to the Steve and Danny show. On the drive back to the base, she pondered the predicament she was in. Not only was she stuck with Steve during the day, now she had a montage of happy McGarrett-Williams family moments running in her head. It was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life, Chapter 5

Fall, 2021

Over the next three days, Steve settled into a routine with his new team. He kept in touch with 5-0 with phone calls, texts, and a joint lunch on Thursday with both teams. Chin and Kono spent a lot of their time running facial recognition programs and checking the coconut pipeline for any unusual chatter. Danny led the remainder of the 5-0 team in the investigation of the murder of a local businessman.

Catherine was struggling to get through the week. After watching Steve with Danny on Tuesday night, any illusion she had that Steve would willingly give up Danny for her was shattered. The Steve McGarrett she knew all those years ago was gone. In his stead, she found a more balanced Steve 2.0. This Steve no longer had 'daddy' issues. He was at peace his memories of earlier life on the island. This Steve wasn't afraid to love and commit. This Steve had more laugh lines than worry lines.

Catherine knew that her team preferred to work with Steve than her. When Steve discovered that the team members were new to the islands, he started bringing in local treats. The malasadas and cocoa puffs were a huge success. Catherine tried to pull the team's focus back to her, but Steve was too slick in charming her team. The final straw was when he invited everyone over to the home he shared with Danny and the boys for a cookout on Saturday afternoon.

Catherine was included in the invitation, but she couldn't decide whether she would attend. It would be sadistic to watch the man she wanted more than anything with the family she wanted for herself. Watching Jack and Jesse hurt almost as much as watching Steve and Danny. The deciding factor was that she was the leader of the team so she should be there to make sure that Steve didn't steal her authority too.

The party was in full swing by the time that Catherine arrived. Danny answered the front door when Catherine rang the bell. It was a very awkward moment for both.

"Catherine, please come in. I think everyone is already here, although it's kind of hard to tell. The team has grown in the last few years, and some of our support staff is here too. Your guys are here too. Oops, I hear the oven going off. You know the way to the back." Danny was relieved to have an excuse to let Catherine find her own way to the party.

Catherine glanced around the living room as she strolled to the back yard. The room had morphed from John McGarrett's man cave to a family-oriented room. The oversized entertainment center was full of kid movies and photos of the family. The couch and chairs were durable and comfortable. When Catherine moved further into the room, she saw the large portrait of Steve and Danny from their civil ceremony. Catherine felt an ache in her heart. The men had such a loving look on their faces.

The back room had also changed. The small dining table had been replaced with a larger table. School books sat at one end. John McGarrett's desk had been replaced with a double workstation so Jack and Jesse could work online at the same time when required. Catherine couldn't breathe. Everywhere she looked was evidence of a rich family life. It was one thing to spy on the men and their sons from afar. It was another to see it up close and personal.

Catherine hurried outside, hoping to be lost in the horde of people long enough to pull it together. She saw the changes there also. The giant playscape Steve and Danny constructed was the most obvious addition. There was also a large grill and several tables set up for food.

The volleyball net was up and a combination of adults and kids were playing. Catherine saw Jack and Jesse on one side of the net. Another boy she guessed must belong to Chin was playing on the other side. Another boy and girl she couldn't identify were also in the game. She was able to identify the rest of the 5-0 team, even the new members, and she also recognized Kamekona. The rest were unfamiliar; she could only guess that they were somehow affiliated with 5-0 or were family or significant others of one of the teams.

Steve was circulating around the crowd as co-host with Danny. He wore board shorts, a tank top, and slippers. He was gorgeous. Her team was spread around the area, mingling with the rest of the crowd. Suddenly, Steve turned around and spotted her. All too quickly for Catherine, Steve was at her side.

"Hi Catherine. I didn't see you come out. Have you been here long?"

"Uh, no. I just got here. It looks like you've got quite a crowd here. The place looks great."

"Thanks. Can I get you a cold one? Let me introduce you to the new guys." Steve walked Catherine over to one of the large coolers and pulled out a Longboard. Then he patiently made sure that she met everyone there. If tested, Catherine knew that she would be unable to name most of them. On the other hand, she would have known Jack anywhere. He was the image of his father at that age.

Steve finally excused himself so he could start grilling the meat. Catherine was grateful for the respite. She found herself in the middle of the volleyball game and half-heartedly tried to spike the ball to the other side of the net. On her third attempt, she managed to hit Jack in the face. He went down with a cry of pain.

Danny came running to the beach with Steve on his heels. Jack's nose was bleeding freely and his left eye was showing signs of swelling. Malia grabbed a couple of towels and a wet washcloth from the kitchen before joining the group crowded around Jack.

Catherine watched Danny comfort Jack while Steve did a quick assessment of his injuries. Jack was trying to put up a brave front, but the blow to his face was painful and bloody. He was sitting in Danny's lap and Danny was doing his best to soothe his son.

Malia briefly examined Jack and determined that Jack was more scared than injured. She wiped the blood off Jack's face and hands and prescribed an ice pack for the eye. The nose wasn't broken and a concussion was ruled out although Malia advised the men to keep a close eye on Jack for the next 24 hours.

Fortunately for the hungry crowd, Chin and Finn manned the grill when Steve ran off to see to Jack. The rest of the 5-0 team set the remainder of the food out and called everyone to serve themselves. As the group moved toward the house, Catherine went over to Jack and knelt in the sand.

"Jack, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was trying to spike the ball and I guess that it got away from me."

"That's okay Commander Rollins, Dr. Malia said nothing was broken and I'll probably have a really cool black eye when I go to school on Monday. Jesse got hit with a soccer ball last summer and almost needed stitches. Danno, I'm really hungry. Can Jesse and I go wash up and get our plates?"

"Sure but why don't you change your shirt too? I know manly men don't mind a little blood but some of the ladies are a little squeamish." Danny released Jack and watched him head to the house with his brother. He took the hand Steve offered and rose to his feet and turned to face Catherine.

"I expected you to take a shot at me or Steve but you hurt one of our boys again and I'll personally take you down." Danny walked away before he said something he might regret.

Catherine felt no small amount of trepidation when Steve leveled his death glare at her. "I resent that you tried to pull me away from my family when you engineered my return to active duty. I accepted it because of the threat to my family and the islands. But know this: when this is over I never want to see or hear from you again. If I see you anywhere near me or my family, I'll get a restraining order against you. We both know what that will mean to your career. Our past friendship is the only reason I haven't reported your conduct unbecoming. You've used up your free pass. Now I suggest that you make up some excuse and get the hell off our property."

Catherine was speechless and could only nod in agreement. She was grateful that her team was busy filling their plates and didn't witness the exchange. She took a few minutes to pull herself together before she walked toward the house. Catherine wished a hole would open up in the yard and swallow her up. She stopped at one of the long tables where Danny was supervising the kids' meals.

"Danny, thanks for having me but I'm going to head back to the base. Jack, I'm really sorry I hurt you. It was nice meeting you and Jesse. Take care of your dads. They're two of the best."

"I know Commander Rollins. Danno and Daddy are the best. Me and Jesse are really lucky."

Catherine nodded to Steve and walked around the front of the house to her car. She drove down the street to the nearest public parking lot and parked at the farthest spot from the store before she broke down crying. Catherine finally accepted that it was over with Steve. She knew that even if something happened to Danny, Steve would never come back to her. She had tried to threaten his family and that was something Steve would never forgive or forget.

The party broke up in early evening. As usual, the gang helped with cleanup before leaving. Catherine's team sensed that something pivotal had passed between the two commanders before Catherine left the party and talked about it before confronting Steve as they said their goodbyes. Steve declined to comment about the conversation on the beach and wished them a good weekend.

Jack and Jesse held their own powwow about Catherine when they were getting their showers. Jack remembered seeing pictures of his daddy when he was in the Navy and he was sure that Catherine was in a few of them.

When Steve and Danny came in for story time, Jack decided to ask about it. "Daddy, did you know Commander Rollins from when you used to be in the Navy?"

Steve looked to Danny for a hint on how to handle the question but Danny only shrugged. Steve opted for the truth without giving any details. "Yes, Catherine was one of many people I met during my naval career."

Jack was sure it was something more and persisted with his question. "That's not what I meant. You were friends before, weren't you?"

"Yes we were friends."

"But you're mad at her now. She didn't mean to hit me in the face. It was an accident."

"It was an accident, but that's not why I'm angry with Catherine. She wants to come between Danno and me and break up our family."

Jack mulled over this information. "Was she your girlfriend?"

"Not exactly. We went out a few times when we at the same base."

Now Jesse was puzzled. "But Daddy, I thought you were only with guys. I know Danno was married to Aunt Rachel. I didn't know that you used to like girls too."

Steve put his hand on his forehead and tried to stave off a headache. Danny decided to cut Steve a break. "Boys, I guess we never talked about this before. We decided to wait until you asked, and it seems that now is the time. A lot of people are attracted to the opposite sex. Boys like girls and girls like boys. Some are attracted to the same sex. Boys like boys and girls like girls. Some like both. They know who they're attracted to and it stays that way."

Steve could see where Danny was headed and knew what to say. "Sometimes, people start out one way and change. It was that way with Danno and me. We always dated women, and Danno even got married to one."

"We know that. Aunt Rachel was married to Danno and Grace is her mommy. We don't have a mommy but we have two daddies." Jack remembered the conversation he had with his daddies earlier.

"That's right. Danno and Aunt Rachel were divorced when we met and became partners at 5-0. We became really good friends too, and then sometime during our first year together it became something more. When Danno needed a place to live with Grace, I invited them to stay here. I knew by then that I loved him, and Danno realized that he loved me too. I'd never been attracted to another man and neither was Danno. We just loved each other so much that it didn't matter that it meant we would be two men together. If you're really lucky, love is like that."

Danny nodded in agreement. He was deeply touched at Steve's explanation and he could see that their sons understood. "Jesse, we talked to Jack before you moved in about some of this. He has always lived in a home with two dads but you used to live with a mom and a dad."

"Danno, I love living with you and Daddy and Jack. Even when you or Daddy is upset with each other or me or Jack, you don't stay mad and yell all the time. I only get a tummy ache when I eat too much junk or I'm sick. And I'm never scared when I'm home."

Steve moved closer to Jesse and cuddled him. "Danno and I love that you're our son and Jack's brother. We just want you to know that how it is with Danno and me."

Jack had already moved on to other concerns. "Daddy, don't you work for Commander Rollins? Are you going to be in trouble when you report to the base on Monday?"

"No, I don't work for Catherine. I report to Admiral Halloran; I'm only assigned to Catherine's team. I'll be fine but it will be a little awkward. The important thing is that the team has a job to do. We'll focus on that."

Finally satisfied with Steve's and Danny's answers, Jack and Jesse were ready for their story. Sunday passed all too quickly and Jack did indeed sport a black eye on Monday morning. Steve sent a note with Jack explaining his injury.

He hugged the boys and gave Danny a hard kiss before heading for the base. His anger with Catherine had cooled but he knew that he would have to be careful if he didn't want to give Catherine an excuse to bring him up on charges. It was going to be a long day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.**

Family Life, Chapter 6

Fall, 2021

Steve was enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in his office when the Yeoman Moore stuck her head in the door. "Commander McGarrett, we were wondering how your son is doing. He took quite a whack from Commander Rollins."

Steve sat back and flashed one of his most charming grins. "Jack is doing well. I heard him talking to Jesse last night. They were discussing how many colors he would be sporting this morning and how long it would last. He was upset that school pictures were already taken because he wanted his eye immortalized for posterity. Those were his exact words." Steve laughed when he remembered the conversation.

Yeoman Moore knew in that instant why Commander Rollins was still carrying a torch for Commander McGarrett. It's hard to resist a man so devoted to his family. It had been apparent to everyone at the cookout that Steve and Danny were very dedicated to each other and their sons. The sight of Steve and Danny on the beach comforting Jack was forever burned into her brain. She only hoped that some day she could have a family like that.

"Well, we were worried about him. Is everything all right between you and Commander Rollins?" Yeoman Moore knew she was pushing her luck but they all had sensed the tension between the commanders.

"We all have the same goal: to take out the bad guys. We just need to focus on that. Thanks for your concern. I'll tell Jack that you asked. Listen, I was just reviewing some of the data the 5-0 team sent over and I think we have our first lead. I'll be out in a few minutes. I want to run this by Commander Rollins."

Steve took his final sip of coffee and walked to Catherine's office. He wasn't sure what to expect this morning but he was prepared for anything. Steve had a short meeting with Admiral Halloran before going to his office. He figured that Catherine had two ways to go. Either she could give up the idea of being with Steve gracefully and let him finish the assignment with no further trouble, or she could try to make his life miserable and get whatever revenge she could. Steve was adamant that Catherine would pose no threat to his family and he made sure the Admiral was aware of the incident on Saturday.

Catherine knew Steve was in and waited to see what Steve's game plan would be this morning. She spent a sleepless weekend trying to formulate what her strategy would be. She was both heartbroken and furious after Steve sent her away. Catherine finally decided that she would give Steve no further reason to find fault with her behavior, but she would find a way to screw him over if it was the last thing she did.

Steve knocked on Catherine's and casually asked, "Catherine, do you have a minute?"

Catherine looked up from her laptop and arched an eyebrow. "What is it you need Steve?"

Steve was relieved that at least Catherine wasn't addressing him as 'Commander McGarrett'. "Chin had some data compiling over the weekend and sent a list over this morning of areas on the island where there has been an unusual amount of activity. He was looking for a lot of communication and ground traffic. Kono's husband, Finn, let us use one of his satellites to scan the island. He's a software genius and created a program for us last year to run probabilities. I think that the team should look at the data."

Catherine considered her options. If she didn't go along with Steve, she knew that he would go to the admiral. "That would be fine but I want to see what you have first."

"Catherine, it's kind of involved and I would rather not go through it twice. I'll need to explain the numbers and how the program interprets the input." Steve waited to see if Catherine would capitulate and let him make his pitch to the team. He had a high degree of confidence that his information would point them in the right direction.

Catherine signed and closed her laptop before following Steve. She listened to Steve lead the team through the data. When he finished, the team looked to Catherine for her assessment. She hated to admit it, but the information was very good. For the first time, the team had a solid lead. Catherine wasn't going to let Steve get credit for catching the bad guys.

Instead, Catherine made some totally pointless team assignments and made a beeline to her office to run down the lead. The team looked to Steve for further guidance but he didn't want to openly countermand her orders. Steve merely shook his head and told them he would get back to them later.

Steve contacted his 5-0 team and told them to proceed with the operation. He knew that Danny, Chin, and Kono would be able to follow the data using the 5-0 resources. Finn promised his assistance and further satellite surveillance if necessary. Steve sent a message to the 5-0 team to meet at Kamekona's shrimp truck for lunch and extended the invitation to the Navy team.

Over lunch, it was agreed that the team would work jointly. Finn generated spurious data to satisfy Catherine's assignments. Meanwhile, the navy team was given special access to the 5-0 network so they could work in an environment that Catherine couldn't monitor. Steve made a late afternoon appointment to bring the admiral up to speed.

The admiral wasn't surprised to see Steve standing before him. He suspected that the investigation and Catherine Rollins' behavior were reaching a critical point. He motioned Steve to sit and waited to hear the latest news.

"Admiral, I received some crucial information from Chin Ho Kelly this morning and briefed Catherine and the team. I believe the data points to the approximate area where we can find our terrorist cell. Catherine gave the team here instructions that will lead nowhere. I suspect that she is trying to make progress on her own. I've arranged to have reports generated for her to keep her satisfied, and the team is working with 5-0 to follow the lead."

"Steve, I'll have one our systems experts monitor Catherine's activities. We should be able to keep an eye on her as long as she uses our resources. You're suggesting that she's tanking the team effort so she can take all the credit by bringing down the cell on her own?"

Steve took a moment to consider the impact of his report before he said anything. A lot was riding on it. But no matter how he cut it, Catherine would cause a lot of damage if he didn't stop her. "Yes sir, I guess that's what is happening. I've gone over it in my head and there is no good outcome. The terrorists might slip off the islands and it will take months or years to find them again. They might be successful with whatever they've got planned. They might go after Catherine. She could expose not only the team here but my 5-0 team. This can't end well. We're trying to work around her, but that is not the optimal solution. We need every resource we have if we're going to be successful."

Admiral Halloran considered his options. He really wanted enough evidence to get Catherine out of the Navy, but taking down the terrorists was more important. "Okay Steve, I'm going to reassign Catherine. Effective tomorrow morning, you'll be in charge. I'm going to arrange for badges for your team. You can bring them on base as needed to work with our team here."

Steve left the office feeling both better and worse. He was immensely relieved that both teams would be free to pursue the terrorists. He was also concerned about Catherine's reaction to the admiral's decision.

The admiral directed his yeoman to contact Catherine and have her report to his office immediately. Catherine was on her way back to her quarters when she got the call. She was in the admiral's office in ten minutes.

"Sir, you asked to see me."

"Yes Commander Rollins, a situation is brewing in North Korea. I need your expertise there; your plane is wheels up at ten hundred hours tomorrow. Your new orders are being cut as we speak. They will be waiting for you on board. Commander McGarrett will take over here. You're dismissed." The admiral coldly turned away and waited for Catherine to leave.

"Admiral Halloran, you can't mean that. I've been working on a new lead today. I only need a little more time and I'm sure I'll be able to pinpoint the cell's location."

The admiral slowly turned back and glared at Catherine. "Commander Rollins, I will not tolerate a subordinate officer questioning my authority."

"Steve did this, didn't he? He been coming in here behind my back and tattling everything that goes on with my team."

"Commander McGarrett reports to me. I am aware of your behavior. You will be on that plane tomorrow. Consider it a gift. Dismissed."

Catherine was furious as she stormed out to her car. She only had a few hours to pack her gear, but there was something she had to take care of first.

Danny had just pulled into the driveway at home when Mrs. Turner, the neighbor across the street, walked over to talk to him. "Detective Williams, do you know if the house next door has been sold?"

"Mrs. Turner, it's nice to see you. As far as I know, the house is still for sale. Why do you ask?"

"I noticed someone on the property on and off for the last week or so. A woman was sneaking around over the holiday weekend and again late in the week. She must have parked down by the 7-11 because she comes from that direction and walks back that way."

Danny immediately suspected Catherine, and Mrs. Turner's description certainly fit her. After promising to check into the matter, Danny made a few phone calls. He had the crime lab send a unit to check for a possible break-in and to dust for prints. He suggested that Catherine's prints be used for comparison.

Steve was surprised to see the techs next door when he came home. The boys were fascinated and wanted to help search for clues. Steve sent them upstairs to wash up. He quickly briefed Danny on the latest development at the base. Danny agreed that it would be a good idea to get the boys away from the house for a while in case Catherine decided to pay them a visit. Rachel and Stan agreed to keep the boys overnight and invited Steve and Danny to stay for dinner. Steve and Danny quickly changed clothes hustled the boys out. Chin was supervising the scene next door and promised to update them as soon as possible.

By the time that Steve and Danny returned, it was confirmed that Catherine Rollins had broken into the neighbor's house. The most disturbing fact was that her fingerprints were around the window overlooking Steve and Danny's room. She had been spying on them!

Steve called Admiral Halloran's home and reported what happened. The admiral told Steve that the Navy would handle the matter and told base security to pick her up immediately. He wanted her on lockdown until she could be formally charged.

Catherine knew that she was ruined the instant she saw the crime scene unit. She also saw that the SUV was gone and figured that Steve and Danny took the boys away. She knew that protecting his family would be his primary concern. That was fine with her; she was out to get Steve and Danny. She had no interest in hurting the boys. They were blameless.

Kono and Finn were working from their home office; their goal was to locate Catherine. Although Catherine was smart enough to turn off her phone, she underestimated Finn's ability to tap into surveillance cameras. The man was smart enough to find a terrorist cell; it was child's play to find one woman when he had a good idea where she would be hanging out.

Just as Catherine was starting her next lap past Steve's house, HPD tried to pull her over. Like every stupid criminal, she ran for it. It was a bad move. Naval security was waiting for her at the next intersection. Steve and Danny were with them. All had guns pulled and aimed at Catherine. She stopped and put her car in park. In minutes, she was cuffed and on her way to the base. Steve and Danny were careful to keep their distance. They did not want to compromise the scene. They were told that Catherine had a loaded gun and a couple of grenades in the car.

Later that night, Steve and Danny sat down by the beach and shared a beer. Steve was shaken to think that Catherine would betray him that way after all they had shared. He was also furious that Catherine would come after Danny too. They talked for a long time before Danny led Steve back to the house and up to bed. He knew how to comfort Steve, and he knew how to take comfort for himself. Danny thought about all that he had shared with Steve. It still surprised him sometimes that their marriage worked so well. It was more than he ever hoped to have.

It was almost midnight when they finally slept, Danny spooned behind Steve. It would be a busy day tomorrow. They still had some terrorists to track down. But for now, the immediate threat was over.


End file.
